Do you have a concrete patio in need of a face lift? Perhaps you have an indoor concrete floor you&#8217;d like to stain, creating a cool (to walk on), clean...

Do you have a concrete patio in need of a face lift? Perhaps you have an indoor concrete floor you’d like to stain, creating a cool (to walk on), clean addition to your home decor.

We wanted our back patio, in all its simple gray glory, to become a more inviting place. But we didn’t want to splash toxic etchers and finishes around. We knew there must be something better on the market than those with the harsh chemicals we kept encountering, and indeed, we finally found it.

EcoProCote concrete stains, cleaners and sealers, which we stumbled upon at the ever-green home improvement store Tree House in Austin, have developed quite a following by green builders and architects. They’ve used them at museums, libraries and schools all over the country, especially those that are seeking certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Clients include Apple Computers, Frito Lay, Arizona State University, the U.S. Army and the Department of Energy, to name but a few listed on the EcoProCote site. (And that’s not a commercial for EcoProCote, but just to show how popular green building techniques are becoming.)

Builders can earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) points toward green certification by using these soy- and water-based products, and they can affirm to earth-minded clients that they’re biodegradable.

Luckily even humble home DIYers, like ourselves, can access these eco products and avoid needless toxic contamination of our immediate environment and the surrounding water and land that can always be affected by runoff.

Of course we also wanted to feel good about the outcome of our project. Like most people, we like green ways, but we want them to work.

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